Oligopotent mesenchymal stem cell-like clone becomes multinucleated following phorbol ester, TPA stimulation.

We established a mesenchymal stem cell clone, 5F9A, from rat bone marrow substrate adherent cells by repeated limiting dilutions. The cells have a fibroblastic shape and form intimate contacts with adjacent cells with interdigitations and junctions similar to adherence and tight junctions in a semi-confluent culture. Analysis of the phenotypes of these cells by RT-PCR and FACS demonstrated that they resembled mesenchymal stem cells, and the cells could differentiate into adiopocytes and osteoblasts under appropriate conditions in vitro showing their oligopotency. Furthermore, the cells were induced to become multinuclear cells by TPA (12-o-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate) stimulation. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.